Memories
by Authoress on Fire
Summary: Sequel to my other story, Remembered. "Everybody knows that death is permanent, but...what if you didn't DIE?" Natalie Oak isn't sure if she can find her missing brother, or why he would fake something so drastic, but Aaron Wilkerson says the two of them can sure as hell try. OC-heavy story. Rated for violence, language, and sexual innuendoes. Set during D/P/Pt.
1. Bad News

_**Disclaimer: Authoress on Fire does not own any fraction of the Pokemon franchise or any songs mentioned in this story, and only owns her OCs.**_

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><p><em>{Are you three ready?}<em>

_[Yessir. I think Nat should start, since it started with her brother. Right, Dan?]_

_[Uh...yeah.]_

_{Natalie, you agree?}_

_[Sure, if Drew and Dan say so.]_

_Natalie Oak._

_Seven Years Later, in Pallet Town._

The morning I found out my big brother Gary was dead, my neighbor/best friend, Daniel Anderson, ran into our kitchen in his sleeping clothes.

It was a pretty regular morning. My big sister, Daisy, was helping our grandpa's lab assistant, Tracey, wash the breakfast dishes in the kitchen before Tracey and I went to the lab. I was sitting at the table, still eating my cereal and watching TV from the portable set we kept on the table.

Without knocking, Dan suddenly ran into the kitchen from the back door, wearing an oversized red tank top and red basketball shorts. He threw his Pokegear on the table, in the middle of a call, and took the TV to change channels.

"Dan!" Daisy cried, nearly dropping a plate.

"What's wrong?" Tracey asked, looking confused.

I practically choked on my cereal. "Dan, what are you _doing?_" I'd been watching a really good battle on TV, and hated not knowing who'd win.

"Channel 20!" His twin brother, Drew, shouted from the Pokegear. The call was on speaker, apparently. "Sinnoh Now! It's Gary!" Drew was at their father's house in Fuschia City for the month, or else he would've been in there with Dan. "Nat, you ain't gonna _believe _this crap on TV!"

Dan punched the channel down button furiously, not speaking to any of us. Usually, he would only ever speak to his brother.

"Gary?" I hadn't heard from Gary in weeks. He was in Sinnoh, studying fossils to help Professor Rowan with his research.

Dan finally found the channel, sighing and standing up. He turned the TV so me, Daisy, and Tracey could all watch the program.

"...This just in, from the Sinnoh region," The news reported stated. "Last week, an avalanche occured on Mt. Coronet, burying much of Routes 216 and 217. Only one person has been confirmed to have been on the mountain at the time; 17 year old Gary Oak, grandson of Kanto's famous Professor Samuel Oak."

Daisy gasped, her hand covering her mouth. "No...Gary, no..."

"The young man has not yet been located, although a search team has been working tirelessly to find him."

"Oh my God." Tracey looked almost sick to his stomach. He was good friends with Gary.

I tuned out a lot of the rest, until the screen cut to an interview with a young man with greenish platinum blonde hair, and striking green eyes.

"I told him it was a terrible idea to go during the summer," He said, sounding regretful. "I told that _stupid_ kid the snow was gonna start melting, but does he listen to me? Hell no! I just hope his poor grandfather and sisters'll be okay. Especially the younger one, his little sister loves Gary to death. Lord knows that family's been through enough trauma..."

I recognized him. He was another guy assisting Professor Rowan with his research, named Aaron. Gary and Aaron had been working together on something for a few months, but I wasn't sure exactly what it was.

"Nat?" The interview was over. The next thing I heard was Drew's voice. "Are you all still there? Hello?"

"...Yeah." My voice was tiny and weak. I could hardly believe what I had just heard. "We're still...here..."

Dan looked at the three of us, frowning in sympathy. Dan was a really sweet kid, and he hated to see us so...shocked.

I'd just turned 14 years old, and my older brother was dead. I had just talked to him on the phone a few weeks before. Just a week ago, I'd gotten the birthday card he'd sent me...

"I'm so sorry, I just...thought you ought to see it. " Drew's voice pinged with regret and sadness.

Daisy calmly walked over to the small TV on the table, and turned it off.

"It's...alright, Drew. Dan, I think you should go on home...and probably get dressed."

Dan gathered up his Pokegear, and ended the call. He mouthed one word at me before rushing out, the closest thing he had yet come to speaking to me:

"Sorry."

_Mark._

_3 Hours Later._

That morning, I woke up to a phone call and a one-night stand still sleeping in my bed.

I groaned, sitting up. My Pokenav was on the bedside table, dinging away. I answered the call, keeping my voice low so as not to wake up the other guy.

"Wha?" I answered groggily. I stole a glance at my alarm clock; it was ten-thirty in the morning. Pretty early for me.

On the other end, I heard sniffling. "Mark..." It was Daisy, and she...she was crying.

"Dais? Whassa matter?" I asked, yawning. "Are you okay?"

Daisy sniffled again. "M-Mark..." She said again. "It-it's my little brother. Did you s-see the n-news?"

"Sweetie, this call is what woke me up," I told her. "What's with Gary?"

"Th-that damned mountain in Sinnoh...Mt. Coronet. There was an avalanche, and...Gary was supposed to have been up there, and n-nobody's seen or heard him since, an-and Grandpa got the c-call this morning after the n-news...oh, God, Mark..."

My heart lurched. Daisy had already lost Lee to that mountain...and her parents died, right after their sister was born...dammit, that sweet girl did _not _deserve all the death surrounding her.

"...How're the others taking it?" I murmured. "Natalie and the Professor?"

"Nattie w-went to the lab r-right after we f-found out...Gr-Grandpa, too...but Nattie's been with...Gary's pokemon..." I heard a loud sob come out.

"Do you want me to come out there to Pallet Town?" I asked softly. "I could-"

"I can't let you sink to asking Jane for money again. We...we'll be fine..."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "Anything else I could do?"

"N-no, I just...I needed to tell s-somebody...thank you, Mark..."

"Anytime, Dais. You know I'm always right here." I eased myself off the ratty old futon we'd slept on, and flinched at the groaning springs. "I'll call you later to check up, okay?"

"Alright, Mark...bye."

I hung up the call, and put my Pokenav over on my dresser. I slipped into the bathroom to look at myself.

_Jesus, last night was rough..._There were hickies all over my neck, and one at my collarbone that made the line between "lovebite" and "violent bruise" rather thin.

Ever since Lee had died and I finally moved out of my parents' house, I'd fallen into a really bad pattern of partying and sleeping around. The only one of my family aware of it was my irritating baby sister, Maggie.

_Maybe one of the girls will let me borrow some concealer... _Maggie was more likely to have what I needed; we were both tanned from surfing at the beach, but our older sister, Jane, was just about as pale as our mom. I couldn't let our dad see me with hickies when I came in for work.

The thought of Maggie made me panic. _Oh shit, is she coming over today?! _During the summer, Maggie liked to come over and battle me before I went to work at our father's resturant. She liked to stay sharp, for the pokemon contests she loved so much.

I sent her a quick text, asking her to bring concealer because I was a combination of too lazy and too poor to buy any, and then hopped in the shower.

My next priority was gonna be getting that other guy the hell out of my house, because I was not about let Maggie come in to a naked twenty-something year old in her brother's bed. I have very little class, but dammit, it's there.

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><p><strong>AOF: This has actually been finished for days now, but I chose today specifically to put it up so I can give my friend, Lazy Quark, a hella fine birthday present.<strong>

**AOF: I already told you, but I'm glad to say it again! Happy birthday, bro! :D**


	2. The Letter

_Drew._

_A Month Later._

After another week had passed(that's two weeks since the initial avalanche), Gary still hadn't been found. He was officially pronounced dead.

Nat and her family, they all seemed just as dead. I had never experienced a family member dying, but the Oak were just as close as family to me and Dan, and it hurt us to see them so upset and _not _be able to do anything to help.

A month after Gary was pronounced dead, since there was no body, a memorial was held. Everybody wore black, a lot of people cried, the whole nine yards.

Nat didn't go. Neither did me, or my brother. We stayed up in the treehouse in our backyard, because Nat couldn't bring herself to go.

To try and lighten the mood, I brought up a deck of cards and taught Nat some new card games I'd learned from my sister in Fuschia. She didn't smile or laugh much, but at least she didn't seem so gloomy.

That was ten in the morning. People left the church the memorial was at around noon. Both the Professor and Daisy probably knew where Nat was(and no doubt Tracey did), but I had a feeling they wouldn't reprimand her for not going.

"Nattie! Nattie, you up there?"

I flinched at the sound of a girl's voice. Nat set her cards down, looking down into the hole leading into the ground.

"Katie?" Her eyes lit up, just a little. "Car! Come on up here!"

I audibly groaned, and Dan glanced at me, raising his eyebrows in confusion.

A girl climbed up the rope ladder, followed by a boy with an overbite. They both wore glasses(like me), the girl's rimmed with lavender plastic and the boy's were metal frames with a gold tint. They both had grey eyes, but the girl's hair was brown and frizzy and the boy had short, straight black hair and freckles.

My fears were true; I'd recognized the girl as Nat's older cousin Katie, but I didn't recognize the boy.

"_Who're they?_" Dan mouthed. He hadn't met Katie the last time she visited, but neither of us had met the other kid.

Nat scooted over to give them room to sit. They were well-dressed for the occasion; Katie wore a black skort and dark gray blouse, and the boy wore a gray polo with black dress pants and a brown belt.

"Hey, Drew," Katie greeted me, flashing me a smile. "I bet you remember me. Is that your little brother?"

"Twin brother," I corrected her, and nodded reluctantly. "But, yeah. Name's Dan. He doesn't talk much."

Katie laughed. "Neither does this one," She joked, jerking her head at the boy.

He flushed pink. "H-Hey!"

I glanced at Dan; he stared blankly at the two of them. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Nat was grinning, happy to see Katie. "Guys, these're my cousins," She introduced us. "Drew, you know Katie, but Carlisle hasn't been here much before. He's her little brother, he's about our age." Katie was over a year older than us.

It felt like it had been such a long time since Nat had smiled. It really warmed my little stone heart to see her grin.

Reaching over, Katie took Dan's hand in hers, making his blush. She shook his hand.

"It's great to finally meet you, Dan!" She greeted him cheerily. "Yeah, this one is my little brother." She released Dan's hand, pointing at Carlisle.

"I have a name, you stupid..." Carlisle grumbled the rest incoherently.

I glared at the girl. "Don't touch him."

"Huh?"

"Dan, I mean. Don't. Touch. Him. You damn nutbag..."

Katie raised her eyebrows. "Uh huh..." She rolled her eyes. "You have the weirdest taste in friends, Nattie..."

Ever since I'd met her, Katie irritated me. She was so...ugh. Perky. I hate perky people, they're unecessarily happy. I mean, how can you just be _naturally _peppy, about _everything? _It must be ridiculous, and exhausting.

Up in the treehouse, Nattie and her cousins spent a long time catching up. They hadn't seen each other since Katie's 15th birthday, because they lived in some far away region.

I noticed Dan glance at Carlisle every few minutes, though. At least, I think it was Carlisle; Dan lets his bangs hang in his eyes, so it's hard to tell where he's looking sometimes.

Then, a voice called out, "Excuse me! Is Natalie Oak up there?"

Another damn visitor for Nat. I groaned. We couldn't possibly fit a sixth person.

Nat started to get up, but I motioned for her to sit. "I'll handle it."

I eased myself down the ladder. There was a guy standing at the base of the tree, a sealed envelope in his hand. He had green hair and eyes, with an obvious cowlick.

"What d'you want?" I demanded of him. "This is my treehouse. That for her?"

The guy raised his eyebrows at me. "Is Natalie up there?" He asked.

"She is. Give that to me."

"I have to put it in her hands."

I groaned. "I'm not gonna read it, you idiot, just gimme the damn letter."

"I can't. Was told to only give Natalie the envelope."

What was this guy's problem? "Look, this is _my _back yard, along with _my _treehouse. I think I'm well qualified to deliver a goddamn letter to my best friend!"

I was starting to get irritated at this stupid bum. Who the hell was so important that I couldn't bring his letter to Nat?!

Lord Tightass was getting just as irritated. "Look, I can't just give you this letter, because it's supposed to be crazy important-why do you think it couldn't just be mailed?! Just called her down here, and-!"

That was the last [expletive deleted] straw. I was so done. I snatched the letter from his hand, and hurried up the rope ladder. I'm a bit of a bigger guy, I know, but I'm fast as hell. Especially crawling up that ladder.

I spat the letter out onto the dusty wood floor of the treehouse and pulled myself back in, panting a little. Dan raised an eyebrow at me.

"What was all that about?" Carlisle asked skeptically.

Carefully, Nat picked up the envelope. It had a wet ring on a corner where my teeth had bitten down. "Who was the guy?"

"Eugh...I dunno," I admitted. "Kept on yapping about how important this damn letter is...better read it, I literally stole it out his hands."

She eyed it like an unlit stick of dynamite. "Really? Why would anyone-?"

"Open it, Nattie!" Katie ordered excitedly. "It might be something cool!"

Nobody sounded more sickeningly stupid than Katie saying that.

But, slowly, she took the corner I'd bitten on and she began to rip it open. There was a printed letter inside, folded meticulously perfect. It was getting more suspicious by the second.

With shaky hands, Nat unfolded the letter, and read it out loud to the four of us...

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><p><strong>AOF: If Drew seems to have a bit of an attitude, that's because he 900% does.<strong>


	3. Family Feud

_Drew._

_A Week Later._

The day we visited Nat's grandpa to recieve starter pokemon and our pokedexes, she was shaking like a leaf. She very rarely defied him like we planned.

Outside the lab door, Nat stopped walking. She had to force up her courage. It was a pitiful sight, because she really loved her grandfather. Nat hugged her Sandshrew, Lenny, to her chest.

We were going to ask for starter pokemon, although we each had our own. Nat had Lenny, given to her by Gary; I had my Vulpix, Pixel, that I had caught on my own before we moved to Pallet Town; and Dan had his pet Farfetch'd, a gift from Mom for our 10th birthday.

In a silent gesture, Dan put a hand on her shoulder and offered a small smile. On her other side, I added, "He's not gonna hate you, sheesh."

Nat chuckled. "I guess." She pushed the door open, and we entered.

The lab was a little messy. Prof. Oak wasn't especially tidy to begin with, but with losing Gary and all, he'd taken it pretty hard. Even Tracey couldn't put his heart into cleaning. _Tracey Sketchit, _the Oaks' glorified live-in maid.

_[Excuse me, Drew! That is so rude! Tracey's like another big brother to me!]_

Well, anyway, you get it.

The Professor was sitting at his desk, typing something on a computer. He'd spent more time at the lab, lately, than at home.

Nat didn't call for his attention, so I did. As I passed by a stack of papers, I couldn't help grabbing them and fixing the haphazard stack.

"Professor Oak, sir?" I addressed him. "Professor!"

He snapped out of it, and looked at the three of us. "Oh! Nattie, and the twins," He muttered to himself. "Are those backpacks you're wearing?"

Nat cleared her throat, and finally said, "Grampa, I talked with Drew and-well, with Drew, anyway, and we decided it's time to leave home."

The Professor had been waiting years to hear her say that; we could have left at ten years old, just like any kids, but stayed to help Tracey take care of the pokemon ranch behind the lab. It was a job we loved.

Prof. Oak's eyes lit up. "Oh, really? You three are planning to travel?"

I nodded, readjusting my glasses. "Yessir; I've even been saving money." That money was actually for a new baseball jersey, but nobody needed to know that.

For the first time in a while, Prof. Oak smiled. It wasn't a big or a happy smile, but it was a smile nonetheless.

"Then, you're going to need pokedexes and starter pokemon! Follow me." He lead us through the lab, to the machine holding the starter pokemon. Then, he went to retrieve the pokedexes he had ordered when we turned ten.

I glanced at Dan. His face was hidden by his shaggy hair. "What pokemon are you gonna choose?"

Dan shook his head furiously, fanning out his bangs. He flat-out refused to tell me. Some days he'd talk to me, but other days...he was like a stranger to me.

I rolled my eyes, sighing. "Whatever."

The Professor returned fairly quickly, with the three pokedexes; forest green for Nat, crimson red for Dan, and cobalt blue for me.

"Have the three of you decided which pokemon you want?" He asked.

Before Nat responded, I answered, "Yessir. I choose Squirtle to be my starter."

Professor Oak nodded. He turned to the machine behind him, opening it and handing me one red pokeball with a water symbol on it. "Here you go, Drew. This is Squirtle."

"Thank you." I nodded, slipping a small little grin. "I'll make sure to take good care of him."

Dan made no attempt to choose a pokemon. Nat looked at Lenny, still in his arms.

"Which do you want to be our partner, Len?" She asked him. "Bulbasaur, or Charmander?"

Lenny huffed in indignation, the spoiled little brat. He hated making decisions. He pointed at the pokeball on the far left. "Saaanshrew sand."

Nat noted her Sandshrew's decision. "Alright. Good choice!" She looked up at her grandfather. "Lenny says Bulbasaur, Grampa!"

The Professor chuckled at Nat's decision. "Alright, then." He gave her the pokeball holding Bulbasaur, with a green leaf symbol. "That leaves...Charmander, for Dan. Are you okay with that?"

Swishing his bangs out of his eyes, Dan nodded with a chipper smile. The Professor gave Dan the last pokeball, with a fire emblem above the button. Dan pressed the button to minimize it, and tucked it away in his pocket.

Finally, Prof. Oak handed out what I looked forward to the most: our pokedexes, and exactly five pokeballs. I held mine like a treasure.

"What are the three of you planning to do?" Prof. Oak asked us. "I imagine you'll be challenging gyms, Nattie-I know the Pewter City gym leader, Brock, he used to travel with As-"

"We're not travelling through Kanto, Grampa." Nat's voice was solid and firm, like stone. Nothing like the terrified girl I'd seen outside the lab. She was regaining her famous nerve.

Prof. Oak raised an eyebrow to her. "Oh? Then where do you plan to go?"

Nat hesitated one second, for a gulp. "S-Sinnoh." Prof. Oak looked positively horrified at his younger granddaughter's news. "A friend of Gary's, he invited me to Sinnoh, t-to fi-"

"No." The word was just as firm. This wasn't a professor speaking; it was a grandfather. "Natalie-"

"-to find Gary. He's not dead, Grampa, I won't accept it!" All 4'07 feet of her looked fearsome. Nat wouldn't be shaken.

"There's no way I can let you go to Sinnoh." Prof. Oak's looked sad. "Sinnoh...that place has taken so much away from our family, Natalie-"

"_I don't care._" Nat grit her teeth. "I'm fourteen years old, Grampa, I'm not your little girl anymore! I'm not that snot-nosed brat who used to tag along with Tracey on errands! You gave me my starter and a pokedex, so I can go wherever the hell I please, so I _will!"_

_"Don't you take that tone with me!" _I hadn't heard Prof. Oak raise his voice in months. A cold chill ran up my spine.

It was quickly turning into a full-blown fight. I glanced at Dan; he watched them through his bangs, hardly breathing. He remembered fully well what huge family fights can do, and it scared the shit out of him, because we both love the Oaks to death and hate when they fight.

"We're leaving today! I have the boat tickets! I have the tickets, and there isn't one damn thing you can do about it, Grampa!"

Dan had his lips pursed tightly together, and despite his tanned skin, was very, very pale. For a second, he looked six years old again, instead of fourteen.

I had to stop it. I grabbed Nat's arm and Dan's arm, and yanked them both so hard that she nearly dropped Lenny.

"We have to leave!" I shouted above them, stopping the argument. "I-I'm sorry, Professor, me and Dan'll keep a good eye on her!"

I hauled the two of them out of the lab, Dan breathing a fragile sigh of relief. He mouthed to me what could have been mistaken as a "thank you".

The Professor didn't try and stop us. By then, it was 10 in the morning, and we had only a few precious minutes to haul ass to the Pallet Town Harbor to catch the boat Nat had tickets for.

So, haul ass we did. And, by a sliver of time, we made it.

_Natalie._

_Hours Later, on the Boat._

I sat on the bed in my cabin on the boat, sniffling. I had spent a good amount of time crying.

Grampa and I had never had a fight so bad before. I hadn't cried much after finding about Gary-I was in shock, I guess-but the fight just opened the floodgate. Lenny did his best to comfort me, wiping tears off of my cheeks, and I appreciated it.

It felt like Lenny was the _only _thing I loved at the moment. I hated everything; I hated Grampa for wanting to stop me, Gary for getting caught in the avalanche, Aaron Wilkerson for putting the idea in my head that Gary was alive...

I even briefly hated the twins. Drew, for dragging me out of there before I was done blowing up; Dan, for being so quiet and doing nothing...

Finally, finally, it felt like I was starting to calm down. Lenny, bless his heart, he let me hold and cuddle him until I could manage to settle down...he was disagreeable to everybody else, but Lenny loved me. The one thing I couldn't bring myself to hate.

I looked through my backpack, later, and dug out the letter from Aaron that had started it all.

_Dear Natalie Oak,_

_I know you may not remember me, but my name is Aaron Wilkerson. I was helping Gary with gathering information on Sinnoh's three lakes for Professor Rowan. You and I spoke a few times, when Gary would video call you._

_I don't believe Gary died in that avalanche; to be frank, I don't believe it even touched him. What I do believe is that Gary was being threatened by an organization, to the point that he believed itbest to fake his death. Just like the smug bastard, too, to do it so flashily._

_What makes me believe this is that a long dead criminal organization, Team Galactic, looks like it's rising from the ashes. Prof. Rowan has been pestered by them as well, but much more secretively. With Gary, they were so aggressive that I actually saw him being threatened by them at the door of the Valor Lakefront cabin we'd shared. Seeing them try to recruit researchers reminds me of when they first rose up, attempting to recruit kids as young as you are to their ranks._

_I beg you to come to Sinnoh. Enclosed with this letter are three tickets for a boat leaving Pallet Town in one week; I bought them online. One for you, two for the two friends of yours Gary told me about. They are fully welcome to come with you, I don't mind._

_Meet me in Twinleaf Town at the house of a girl named Amberlynn Daniels on July 26th, should you accept this invitation. Amber and some friends are all planning to meet together to discuss this oncoming threat._

_If you decide not to accept, I fully understand. I'll still look for Gary on my own. The only answer I'll need will be you at Amber's house that day._

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Aaron Wilkerson_

As I finished reading, I heard a knock at the door. "Nat? You alright?"

I sniffled a pitiful sniffle, and wiped my nose with a tissue from the night stand. "Y-yeah...come in."

Drew slowly opened the door and let himself in. He looked a little green; he'd told me before that he gets seasick really bad. He groaned.

"I could hear you crying through the wall." The twins' cabin was next to mine. "Are you..urp...okay?"

He sat at the foot of my bed. Seeing Drew, the big, powerful, nerdy athelete green and seasick made me snicker.

"I oughta ask you that," I retorted, drying the last tears. "Don't you have medicine or anything?"

"Left it with Dad in Fucshia City...ergh, God, that was a bad decision." Drew swept his short bangs away from his forehead. "But, really, are you alright? I know your family went through a huge shock finding out about Gary, but that fight with your grandpa-"

"I'm fine. I just needed to get that out of my system," I reassured him. "Really, don't worry about me...I'm a big girl now, just like I told Grampa, I can take care of myself."

Drew chuckled. "That's just what a big baby would say," He teased.

"Hey!"

Drew had another quip, but instead, he choked his breakfast back down with his hand over his mouth. "I'm going to go throw up in our bathroom now, instead of on your carpet. Text Dan if you start feeling lonely, or whatever."

I nodded. "'Kay. Hope you feel better soon!"

"Trust me, the moment I'm on dry land, I will feel better."


	4. Rebirth

_Leon Higgins._

_Somewhere in the Sinnoh Region..._

Somewhere around the time Natalie and them left for Sinnoh, I believe that's around when I woke up.

_God on High,_

_Hear my prayer..._

I wasn't sure where I was, how I got there, or even who I was. I had only the fuzziest grasp on anything...it was like my mind was trying to move while trapped in a tub full of maple syrup.

But I knew I could hear voices. I could hear people speaking, just at the edge of my consciousness.

_In my need,_

_You have always been there._

"...stable...could use him..."

"...health problems...smoking..."

_He is young._

_He is afraid..._

_Who the hell are they talking about? _I wondered. _Me? Use me for what?!_

There were needles and tubes and shit in my arms. I wanted to say I was in a hospital bed, but it was much too hard and cold for any of that. My head was spinning, trying to make sense of any of this.

_Let him rest,_

_Heaven blessed._

_What...who **am **I?_ I couldn't remember anything, except one name. _M...Mark...? No, I don't think that's my name...who the hell is Mark...?_

A soft groan of frustration escaped my lips. I found there was an oxygen mask over my face, presumably to make sure I was breathing.

_Bring him home,_

_Bring him home..._

I wanted to open my eyes, look at my surroundings, but I hadn't gathered the strength yet...whatever had happened to me, it must have been awful.

"Oh...oh my God. Sir! Subject 5366, he...he's awake!"

_Is that me...? _I couldn't remember anything, but I knew damn well that my name wasn't "Subject 5366".

I groaned again, a little louder, and tried opening my eyes.

I was in what felt like a horizontal test tube; which was fitting, as I was in some sort of science lab. Either it wasn't well-lit or my eyes were weak from lack of use, but I could faintly make out some shapes that looked like scientists. They wore the white lab coats with hair tied back and everything.

One older man stood out from the others, a hunched-over grayed old fart of a man. He chuckled as the others buzzed over me.

"Well, the famous man himself, back in the land of the living...heheheh..." His voice and his laugh irritated me to no end.

The fuzzy, dreamlike quality of it all intensified. My head thudded in dull pain, and I closed my eyes again with a pained sigh.

"Charon, sir...! The subject, he's fading again!" A scientist woman exclaimed, disappointed.

"Well, I suspect it's rather hard to pull yourself out of a coma," The older man's voice admonished her. "But this is more than the young man has been able to recover in years, isn't it?"

The voices faded off into the distance. I left my mind drift off again, exhausted, but I tried to force myself not to fall back into the coma Charon had mentioned...

_Mark._

_Slateport City, Hoenn._

"Whoa, whoa. Daisy, sweetie, calm down. Take a few breaths. She did what?"

I listened to Daisy sob into the phone reciever. It was around 7 at night, my time, and she was trying to tell me something about Natalie, and I prayed to God that nothing had happened to the kid...

"Sh-she...Grandpa s-said Nattie r-ran away...her and her fr-friends got their st-starter po-pokemon, and Po-Pokedexes, and got on a bo-boat to Sinnoh." Daisy finally managed to get it out between shivery breaths.

I held my palm to my mouth, suppressing a gasp. "Oh, wow. Did she did it to, uh..."

"I-I'm not done." Daisy sighed shakily. "Na-Nattie called me just a wh-while ago...the man G-Gary had been living with, Aaron Wilkerson, h-he...wrote to her. T-told her that he d-doesn't think Gary...died..." I heard another sob. "As-asked her to meet him, at a gi-girl named Amber's h-house in Twinleaf Town..."

When she said Aaron Wilkerson, I remembered someone we had met in Sinnoh; a scrawny, greenish-blonde sixteen year old kid gym leader, who hated his job. Why would he have even been around Gary?

I knew exactly why Daisy was so upset. That rash little sister of hers, the rushed haphazard decision she made, it sounded like...

"D-Dammit, this sounds just like something _Lee _would have done!" We both knew it, but she had the balls to say it.

After all that happened, I never told Daisy about my crush on Lee. Or that I had kissed him, and he kissed back. Her _fiancé, _for God's sake! It was a shitty thing that I did when I was a shitty little teenager, and I felt awful.

"Dais..." She was obviously worried about Nattie's safety. Jesus, that region felt like a frigging death trap. "Look, I know there isn't much I can do to-to help things feel better-"

"Mark. No. Marcus Lowe, tell me you won't come to Kanto. You can affor-!"

"Dammit, let me finish!" I snapped back, with more force than needed. "What I'm saying is about _Maggie! _She's been looking all summer for regions that host contests, so maybe Mags could...could look out for her." I gulped nervously. "Maggie, she can handle herself, and Nattie's never...has she ever really left home?"

"Not without Tracey, no." I heard a trace of a laugh in her voice. "But, Mark...would Maggie even want to?"

I laughed. "Oh, hell yeah, she will," I answered. "She's already been through Hoenn and Johto, and Sinnoh's just about as different as can be. I'll just tell Maggie where to go, and there'll probably be a boat out to there somewhere in the harbor."

"You really think so?" Daisy asked softly. "I don't...I just want her to be safe. She's with her friends and I love those boys to death, but-"

"Trust me, those two oughta make great friends," I reassured Daisy. "Either that, or kill each other. If there isn't a boat scheduled to leave, then I could always strike up a deal with Mr. Briney..."

We talked through a lot of the night, and I managed to soothe Daisy's frayed nerves. Ever since Lee'd died, I did as much as I could to make things easy for her. Which sort of made me resent that Sketchit kid, because he did the same thing.

We didn't hang up until midnight. I placed my Pokenav on the bedside table, and glanced at the mirror on the dresser. There were a lot of pictures sitting up there, both framed and just taped on.

Me at the Indigo Plateau Conference, in Kanto, when I was twelve. Me and Lee at the Silver Conference in Johto, before it began. All three of us at the Ever Grande Conference, with me holding up the trophy I won. A picture of me and Daisy hugging Lee after he won his first Grand Festival at fourteen years old...

I tried my best to look at the pictures as little as often, but I could never bring myself to take them down. My heart lurched at the thought of all those memories, and the boy who was never gonna come back...

That night, I slept on my own living room couch. It wasn't the first time, and it wasn't the last.


	5. VS Floatzel

_Amberlynn Daniels._

_One Week Later, in Twinleaf Town._

"Amber! Oh my gosh, where's my shoes?"

I looked over my shoulder at Michelle as I turned over the bacon in the pan. "Did you look in the back room, honey? Or Max's room? Get Astro to help look."

My ten year old baby sister, Michelle, was getting ready to leave home for the first time that afternoon. Flint, Volkner, Dee, and Aaron were all coming over in the morning, so I'd been up early cooking up a huge group breakfast.

A lot of things changed from the time I'd left home to be a coordinator. Seven years later, I was just two months shy of turning twenty. We had moved back to Twinleaf shortly after Dee's mom's wedding, because the whole reason for the move to Veilstone had been for Daddy's "work".

But, when I was fifteen...things went bad. Momma had been raising us on her own, with no intention of dating again, but before I turned fifteen, she caught an awful case of pneumonia. It didn't go away, and only got worse...and the winter I was sixteen, Momma died.

I stopped travelling during the time Momma was sick, and Dee did as well, but Tess didn't. Then, right before I turned sixteen, the Thompsons got the worst phone call of their lives.

Volkner called Mrs. Thompson directly, to say that Tess had run away after a nasty argument with him and wouldn't answer any Pokegear calls. She didn't answer to anybody, and nobody could find her.

Until I turned eighteen years old, Max and Michelle lived with our grandparents in Sunyshore City. I was allowed to live with Dee's family until then, in the hellish nightmare it had become...

"Amber! Seriously, where are this girl's shoes?!" Astro thundered into the kitchen, looking exasperated. "I'm in the middle of a video game, for cryin' out loud!"

Ever since we stopped travelling, Astro had been looking for a mental challenge. Video games seemed to do it for him, although I'm really not sure when he learned to even read.

I sighed. "Dammit, do I have to do everything?" I asked rhetorically. "Just help her look for them, Astro!"

Pouting, Astro left the kitchen. I could hear him grumbling in the living room. I rolled my eyes.

Dee was the first one through the door, then Flint, then Volkner. They all came in the kitchen and grabbed a bite to eat; besides bacon, I'd cooked up sausage, little pancakes, grits, and all kinds of good breakfast stuff.

By nine that morning, the only ones missing were Aaron, the kids he'd invited, and...

"_Maaaax! Baaaarrrrry!_" I stood at the foot of the staircase, calling their names. "Wake up! It's already-!"

"I'll go get them." Astro got up from the couch, and jogged up the stairs. I could hear him shouting as he knocked the door when he reached Max's room.

At nineteen, the worst part of my life was probably raising my little brother and sister. But mostly Max, that little shit...

_[Hey! Little shit is present!]_

Maxwell! Watch your mouth, Michelle is listening!

_[But, I-! ...Ugh, I give up.]_

_Natalie._

_A Half Hour Later._

"Nat! Wake up!"

We reached Twinleaf Town that morning, and Drew made sure we woke up on time. He rushed me and Dan to get dressed and "get off of this goddamn ship".

I pulled on my best clean t-shirt, plain green, and a pair of beige capris, and I scurried after the twins. All Dan'd done was pull on jeans and throw an open red button-up over the black tank top he wore to bed. Boy even still wore his Meowth slippers.

Looking around, I was that Twinleaf Town wasn't heavily populated. It was like Pallet Town; grassy, with houses scattered in what looked like a street pattern.

I set Lenny on the ground, and readjusted my backpack on my shoulders. "Well?" I picked him back up.

Drew's dark eyes glanced at me from the side. "'Well' what?" He answered.

"What d'we do now?" I asked him. "Just knock around, ask for that Amber girl?"

Dan shrugged. Drew blew a raspberry at me. "It was _your _idea we come here, Nat. I should be asking you!"

"It wasn't even my idea, it was that Aaron guy's!" I looked around, and saw a red roof and pokeball symbol. "Look, a pokemon center. This town's small enough, Nurse Joy oughta know."

The building _was _a pokemon center, and Nurse Joy did know Amber; she apparently volunteered on weekends to help take care of pokemon brought in. Nurse Joy gave us an address and directions, and we were on our way.

It took only a bit to navigate to the address she gave us. It was a house about the size of mine, painted yellow. There was a blue bike in the front yard, and a pair of brand-new sneakers in the basket. Drew picked them up, while I knocked on the door.

After a few knocks, a red-headed girl answered the door. She looked older than us by a few years, but tired; there were heavy bags under her eyes, and her hair was the sort of faded, rusty color that older women usually have.

"Excuse me, is this Amber Daniels' house?" I asked politely.

She nodded. "Yeah, this-I'm Amber. Are you the kids that Aaron invited?"

"Wilkerson?" I asked. She nodded. "Yeah, we are."

Amber stepped backwards out of the doorway, and to the side. "Come on in, you kids must be tired."

"And hungry..." Drew grumbled. As he passed by her, he held up the sneakers. "Hey, these belong to any of y'all?"

Amber raised her eyebrows. "There they are!" She laughed. "My little sister, Michelle, nearly tore up the house looking for these!" She accepted them. "She just stepped out, but thank you so much for finding them. Go on in the living room, kids, Aaron's all we're waiting on. There's food in the kitchen, if you're hungry-don't be shy."

There was a weird assortment of older teens sitting around the living room. A man with shaggy blonde hair sat slumped in an armchair; a scary-looking girl with a high ponytail in a camoflage jacket sat on an old, worn couch; and a man with a bright red afro was sitting Indian-style on the floor in front of the couch, laughing at some joke.

"I'm sorry, do you know where Aaron is?" I asked Amber quietly, as the twins rushed to the kitchen. "He can't be too far away, right?"

"He's probably just hung up at the lake or something," Amber answered cheerfully. "Lake Verity's only a walk away, so I'm sure he'll be here by ten."

"Would you mind if I leave my things here, and go look for him?" I asked impatiently. "I'm really sorry, I just-!"

"No no no, I understand. We all know why you're here, sweetie, of course you wanna talk to him. Lake Verity is an easy walk from here, no problem."

I nodded. "Um...thanks." Amber was incredibly...hospitable.

I set my backpack down in the kitchen, where the twins'd set their stuff, and I headed out the door with Lenny in tow.

It wasn't far until I left Twinleaf Town, and based on the sign posted at the outskirts, Lake Verity was very close by. Gary had mentioned it a few times on the phone, how he thought it looked beautiful in the morning mist...

_Gary... _I hurried up to a jog, and with Lenny in my arms, ran through the woods on the path.

The lake was easy to find; it was huge, covered by a thin mist. It really did look pretty.

I walked near the water's edge, looking around. I set Lenny on the ground and let him walk with me.

"A-Aaron?" My voice was probably too quiet to hear from far away. "It's me! Natalie!"

No answer. I looked out across the lake; the water rippled, almost violently.

"Saannd..." Lenny braced himself, readying his claws to fight. Lenny loved to battle.

I cleared my throat again. Maybe, if I raised my voice...

"It's Nata-!"

The water broke as a huge orange mass lept into the air. It looked like it was wearing an inflatable raft, and had a forked tail, glowing white. It spun the tail in a circle as it was in midair, preparing an attack!

"Lenny!" I cried out.

"_**Sanshrewsand!**_" Lenny cried out, jumping into the air to slash at the pokemon.

As Lenny hit the pokemon, a blue sphere shot out of the mist at them, and exploded. Lenny was thrown to the ground, along with the orange pokemon.

"_Lenny!_" I shrieked. "Are you okay?!"

A blue pokemon came trotting out of the mist, panting. It held its paws out, closing its eyes as it charged more energy.

"Michelle!" A male voice barked. "Take that girl and go! I'll take on Floatzel!"

A young girl with blue pigtails, Michelle, came out of the fog after the blue pokemon. She spotted me, then ran over and grabbed me by the wrist. She must have been Amber's little sister.

I panicked. "My-my Sandshrew!" She tried to drag me away. The blue pokemon sent another sphere at Floatzel, almost hitting Lenny. "_My Sandshrew! Let me go!_"

"Astro's gonna make sure he's alright!" Michelle squeaked helplessly. "Please, Miss, we gotta-we gotta go, before more Floatzel come out!"

It was no use; she wasn't going to let me get my Lenny, and Floatzel was starting to get back up, so it wouldn't be safe. I let myself be dragged off.

The last thing I saw before turning around was the blue pokemon, Astro, using a psychic attack to bring Lenny over to him. He tucked Lenny under his arm, and hauled ass after me and Michelle.


	6. Getting Off-Track

_{I think it's about time Dan had his say about all that was happening. Dan?}_

_[Huh? Me? Well...I guess. Do you mind, Nattie?]_

Not at all. Go on, Danny!

_Daniel Anderson._

_At the Daniels' House._

While Nattie was looking for Aaron at the lake, the older ones at the house went on with their little meeting. Drew stood against a wall, but I sat on the couch next to the scary-looking ponytail girl.

It wasn't hard to pick up names; the blonde with sort of matted hair was Volkner, the redheaded guy sitting on the floor was Flint, and that girl in the ponytail was named Dee.

Two boys our age walked in a bit later from upstairs, and pulled kitchen chairs in to sit, both of them blonde, but definitely not brothers. The boy with bushy, sand-colored hair was Amber's little brother, Max, I learned; the platinum-blonde who couldn't sit still was Dee's step brother, Barry.

Volkner clapped his hands. "Okay, Aaron's being a douchebag by being late, so forget him," He announced. "You guys know why we're here, right?"

He sort of glanced at us when he said that. I felt myself blush, and shrugged shyly. Drew shook his head.

"No, sir," He answered flatly. "Hey-shouldn't we wait for Nat, at least?"

"She'll find her way back. Michelle's at the lake, so they should all be back soon." Volkner blew off Drew's request. "Do you kids remember an organization going by 'Team Galactic'?"

I had never heard of it. Barry shook his head. Max paled and lowered his head, muttering, "No, not really." It was a blatant lie, but nobody brought it any attention.

Drew cleared his throat. "I read up on it some, after Aaron sent our friend that letter. They sound like some real bastards."

Volkner raised his matted eyebrows at Drew's choice in words. "What'd you read?" He quickly asked.

Drew shifted his weight, looking uncomfortable at being put on the spot. "Well..." He shrugged. "They were a criminal organization, loved to steal pokemon and commit other felonies. After a guy found out they were based in Veilstone City and destroyed their building to do some weird heroic shit, the leader was arrested and given 25-to-life in prison for stealing pokemon on such a mass scale, trying to kill the kid, and a couple other things." Drew recited it all without even a second breath. His memorization skills always astounded me.

"It was actually life without bail," Max corrected him under his breath. Drew narrowed his eyes threateningly.

Volkner nodded, a little surprised. "Well...uh, some of that was kind of wrong information, but that's impressive," He complemented Drew. "Well, Team Gala-"

"Wrong?" Drew scoffed. "How is it _wrong?_"

Dee glared angrily at him. "That boy didn't go in the building to do 'heroic shit'," She corrected him harshly. "I mean, he accidentally did do it anyway, bur Riley never really tried to-"

Drew was all flustered and redfaced. "How would you even know, you dumb girl?" He was getting so angry, not having known all the facts. "What, were you there with him?!" God, he hated being wrong. It was a little embarrassing, sometimes, how stubborn he could get.

"_What'd you call me, you fat little twerp?!_" Dee roared, standing up. Drew blanched, his face almost the color of paper. "Say that again, you snot-nosed, myopic, pigheaded son of a bi-!" She approached him, fists clenched tight.

"**_Deadra Thompson!_**" Amber came running from the kitchen, pushing Dee back. "He's just a kid! Relax!"

Her back was to me, but I knew the girl was still fumingly angry. She almost barked back, before Volkner ordered, "Dee. Sit."

Reluctantly, Dee sat down. She glared at me from the side, but not in anger. I still flinched a little, hoping I wasn't next.

"If that bitch is your brother, I almost feel sorry for you, twiggy." I shrugged in a simple response. A lot of people get bad impressions of Drew.

Drew didn't have any smart remarks after Dee did that. Amber pulled a chair into the living room, apparently in the kitchen.

Impatiently, Barry drilled his fingers against his thigh and bounced his knee. "Whatever happened with them, why'd you bring up Team Galactic?" He asked. "They comin' back or somethin'?"

From his spot by the couch, Flint nodded. "Me and Volkner think, anyway," He answered. "Been seeing some of those god awful uniforms back around Sunyshore City...and Aaron, he says he's been seeing them in Eterna, too. Why it would take this long for them to build back up, even without Mr. Cyrus' money and power, I dunno, but-"

Flint was cut off by the front door opening. Nattie hurried inside, limping on a bleeding leg and carrying a wiped-out Lenny, followed by a younger blunette girl with her faded jeans soaked from the knee down. A blue/black dog-like pokemon trotted in last, closing the door behind him.

I heard a teenage boy's voice sigh out, "Thank God, that's over..." But, that wasn't my priority.

Nattie leaned against a wall, taking the weight off her hurt leg. There was a gash in the back of her calf, exposed by her capris. Drew ran to her first, then I got up off the couch.

"Nat! Shit, what happened?!" Drew demanded.

She cluched her unconscious Sandshrew tightly to her chest, her eyes closed. "We got attacked at the lake," She murmured. "They, um...they chased us, almost all the way back to Twinleaf...I got hit by a Razor Wind attack."

I put my hands on Lenny and gently tugged, trying to take him from her. She didn't fight back. Back in Pallet Town, Tracey Sketchit had taught me all about first aid.

_Lenny's soaking wet...and shaking. I hope Amber's got clean towels, with all these people in her house._

"Mitchie!" Max barked. "Are you okay? Did you get-?"

"No," The blue-haired girl interrupted. "Astro and her, they...I didn't get hurt, big bro."

Amber had gotten up to go fetch a first aid kit, and when she came back, I nervously whispered to her about the towels and Lenny. She nodded.

"Go on ahead, I'll fix up your friend." She gently took Nattie's arm, and lead her away from Drew, who she'd been leaning on. "Sweetie, let me see that leg. Mitchie, can you show Dan to the bathroom?"

That same guy's voice from before made a rude remark about my timing. Michelle came up behind me, and led me towards the kitchen. I grabbed my backpack as we passed through, from where me and Drew had stashed ours and Nattie's stuff.

* * *

><p><strong>AOF: This chapter wasn't how I wanted it to turn out, but rewriting it four times is more than enough.<strong>


	7. Return of the Biggest Brat

_Astro._

"Team Gala...th-they-_what, _now?"

I had a couple scrapes and cuts from tangling with the Floatzel, and Amber tried to convince me to let her look at them, but I had bigger worries when Max told me what little they'd talked about. I could hardly form a sentence.

The big teenager with glasses, Drew, he looked positively astounded by me. "Did...is...is that pokemon talking?"

Amber was kneeling in front of Natalie(who was sitting in Dan's spot on the couch), wrapping gauze around her calf. "M'hm," She answered half heartedly. "He does that."

"Too much, a lot of the time," Dee added under her breath.

I disregarded her bitch attitude, and panicked for a second.

After being kidnapped by them as a Riolu, just hearing about Team Galactic struck a fearful nerve in my heart. I was still claustrophobic from being chained up and unable to move around. It was a horrible feeling. I couldn't even stand pokeballd, where I at least tolerate mine before. I could hardly breathe, thinking about Team Galactic.

"Th-there's no way!" I finally stammered out. "Cyrus-he...I mean-"

"That's what _I'm _saying!" Max agreed. "He's probably under high security or something, so he couldn't stillbe leader...unless a bunch of grunts or something never let Team Galactic die."

That let a whole new worry into my mind: what if they tried to break Cyrus out of prison? I tried not to mention it, at least in front of Max.

Natalie frowned. "But...what would they want with my brother?" She asked. "Gary wanted to be a professor, like Grampa, but I don't know how that would make any difference."

"Obviously, Aaron does," Drew told her scornfully. "Where the hell is this dude?"

"Volkner's in the kitchen, trying to call him," Amber answered helplessly. "He's supposed to be staying in Sandgem Town, I really don't kno-"

On cue, there was a hurried knock at the door. A familiar voice shouted, "Amber! Everybody still there?"

Max got up to answer the door. He opened it, and Aaron shoved himself inside; he looked exhausted for eleven in the morning.

"Frigging Lucas-" He paused to shake what looked like cinders out of his ashen blonde hair, "-can't even handle-" He wiped ashes off of his forearms, "a goddamn Chimchar! I swear, that kid is _useless!_"

Drew raised his pencil-thin eyebrows. "Did you get set on fire?"

"_Yes!_" The edges of his piss-yellow t-shirt were singed, and the ankles of his khaki pants, too. From his back pocket, his Pokegear rang.

Volkner came back from the kitchen on hearing the ringtone, and hung up. "Oh. You're here."

"Very much, Surge." As a final touch, Aaron dusted off his pants. "Sorry, had to help prep the starters for Mitchie. Professor wouldn't let me out of it. Have I missed anything?"

"Nothing fun, anyway," Flint answered.

"We were waiting for you," Dee added.

Aaron nodded. "Nice. Where's the kids?"

Natalie raised her hand. "Uh, here," She answered. "We've been here. I'm Gary's baby sister, Natalie."

Aaron nodded. "Did your friends-?"

"Ahem..." Drew cleared his throat, getting Aaron's attention. "Andrew Anderson. My brother, Dan, he's drying off Nattie's Sandshrew. There was an accident, and he got soaked." Drew offered his hand for a handshake, which I found weird.

Aaron nodded again, shaking Drew's hand. "Selectively mute kid, right? Talks only when he wants to?"

Drew drew his hand back like Aaron had used a joy buzzer on him. "Uhh..." He not-so-secretly wiped it on his jeans.

"Gary. Talked about you kids all the time. Yeah, I'll bet it's pretty creepy."

Okay, let's just stop for a second. Let me talk about Aaron for a moment. Just. Can I do that?

_{Um. Sure? If it helps you.}_

Aaron Wilkerson, he...he was such a weird dude. I think he drank hairspray or something, his hair was always hairsprayed all spikily. Like Lee used to do, for contests. And _speaking _of his hair, I swear, I think that frigging man was bleaching his hair with chlorine or something. You know how chlorine can turn your hair green if you're blonde enough?

Imagine that shade of green multiplied by four, divided by the shade of piss-colored cornstalk white his hair naturally was.

_[Astro, literally nobody has any idea what the hell you're talking about. Maybe **you **drank hairspray.]_

Shut up, Drew. Ain't nobody ask you.

_[Astro, you are **NOT**_** GHETTO!**_]_

Wow, you guys aren't fun.

Anyway, that's how I felt about Aaron. Not very high opinion of him.

As Aaron found a seat in the crowded living room, Dan returned, holding that Sandshrew Natalie had been so worried about in a towel bundle, followed by Michelle.

Dan and his brother, Drew, were so different. Drew was tall and thick, like a football player, with a look in his brown eyes like a hardened criminal and pasty white skin; meanwhile, Dan was shorter, tanned, and skinny as a rail, with wide, fearful brown eyes and shaggy brown hair. He looked more like Natalie than like Drew.

Natalie saw her Sandshrew in Dan's arms, and felt very nervous. Her anxiety made me feel sick. I managed to pick up a name from her.

"Lenny'll be alright," I assured her without so much as looking at her. "He just got a little wet. Sandshrew have tough skin, and I sense he must be a bit of a fighter. Quit worrying so much, it's making me nauseous."

All three pairs of eyes from Natalie, Drew, and Dan shot straight to me. Dan stood in the doorway of the kitchen, positively shaking. He seemed pretty easy to startle. I felt a little pity for him.

"That's..." Natalie was speechless.

"...incredible," Drew murmured, to finish her statement. "He just...knew how she feels, and he...fascinating..."

His mumbling made me a little uncomfortable. I hated being treated like a lab experiment.

"Astro does that," Amber hurriedly explained. "All Lucario can, really."

Dan returned Lenny to his trainer, and sat in between Natalie and Dee. Me and Michelle sat on the floor, next to Flint.

Naturally, Drew wanted to get to the heart of everything. "Aaron, why did you invite us to come all the way up north to Sinnoh?" He demanded. "We know you think Team Galactic had something to do with Gary's 'death', but why d-?"

Aaron held up a hand to shut him up. "Did you read the letter?"

_A letter? _I wondered. _Is that how Aar did it, a letter?_

"...Nat read it to us." Drew was a little flushed, in frustration. "But, your thought process...it just doesn't ma-"

"Give me some time to explain, kid. D'you mind?"

Drew frowned. In a childish fit, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his middle finger.

"Well, hurry up," He grumbled, narrowing his eyes. "I ain't a patient guy."


	8. Empty Goodbyes

_Dan._

_Later That Afternoon._

"Ugh...are we almost there?"

"Almost! Just a little further ahead!"

After Aaron explained everything Drew asked him to(which was a lot), Michelle insisted on leaving for Professor Rowan's lab the next town over, to get her starter pokemon.

Amber wanted to stay at home to talk something over with Volkner and Flint, and their brother, Max, refused to see his little sister off. Dee decided on her own to escort Michelle, and we left with them.

"We" including Aaron.

But I have to say, Dee is a phenomenal pokemon trainer. Aaron left his own pokemon at the lab("Had to leave someone to protect the lab, huh? Lucas' Turtwig is still just a baby..."), and Dee sent out her Glalie any time a wild pokemon tried to bother us. Just his face was enough to scare them away, but whatever wasn't startled off got a swift Headbutt.

"Now, you're gonna have to learn to battle with your own pokemon, Mitchie..." Dee lectured Michelle. "Little ones can have a hard time getting used to it at first, but you're both still learning. You're a lot more patient than Max, so it'll be easier for you to learn."

Michelle nodded. "I know, Dee. What starter d'ya think I should choose?"

Before Dee could answer, Aaron laughed. He rested his elbow on Michelle's head, teasing her.

"A Turtwig, of course!" He answered. "Nothing's more beautiful! With its cute little earthen she-!"

Dee elbowed him hard enough to knock him away from Michelle. "Piss off, Wilkerson!" She barked. "Michelle doesn't have a grass fetish like _you!_"

"What about you, Ice Queen? Were you gonna tell her Piplup's the way to go?"

"Screw off! My Glalie could eat Leafeon whole!"

I couldn't help snickering at them. Nattie elbowed me in the ribs, laughing, too.

"Remind you of anyone, Dan?" She whispered, thumb pointed at Drew. He was walking right behind the two arguing adults, staring straight ahead and sighing impatiently.

Michelle glanced at him. "What do you think, uh..." She laughed. "Sorry. I didn't get your name."

"Drew," He answered gruffly. "And shit, kid, I dunno. Choose whatever pokemon you want to have. It's not really something other people can decide for you."

"You think so?" She was wide-eyed, listening to every word he grumbled out. "What did you choose as your starter?"

Drew shrugged. "Well, I like water types, so I chose Squirtle," He answered. "That's one of the Kanto starters. Named him Squirty. My friend Nat has a Bulbasaur, named Kibia, and my brother named his Charmander Charcoal."

"Oh! I've heard of them! My friend Lucas met Professor Oak once, and Lucas got to see the Kanto starters! He even showed me their pokedex entries! Squirtle's really cute."

"Heh. Yeah...he is."

_Later._

It took about two hours to walk to Sandgem Town from Twinleaf. Pretty short, Aaron claimed, compared to a lot of places.

Michelle didn't even knock before entering the lab, because her and Aaron were there so often. And it looked so much different from Nattie's grandpa's lab.

Everything was well-organized, but the place was also much smaller. A yellow dog-like pokemon came trotting out when we walked in, and ran to Aaron.

He laughed, crouching down to pet it. "Aw, hey there, Leafeon. I wasn't gone that long, was I?" It licked his face eagerly.

Michelle continued happily on without him. "Lucas!" She called out. "Professor! I'm here!"

A boy came out from behind a bookshelf. He was around Michelle's age, if not older, wearing a black, collared, sleeveless vest and baggy blue jeans. There was a red cap on his head.

"Michelle!" He laughed. "Finally!"

An older man followed behind, walking calmly. He had white hair and a thick white beard, and a stern look in his eyes. Much less inviting than friendly old Professor Oak.

"Aaron, Dee, who are these kids?" He asked politely.

Those eyes felt entirely too piercing. I averted my eyes to the tiled floor, blushing in embarrassment.

Aaron tore his attention from his pokemon, but Nattie spoke up first. "I'm Natalie Oak, Professor Rowan, sir," She answered. "These're my friends, Drew-" She pointed to Drew. "-and Dan." She pointed to me next.

The professor nodded. "Your grandfather's told me about you, Natalie," He told her, a little bit of pity in his voice. "I'm so sorry about G-"

"Please don't say it." Nattie flashed a fake smile, her brownish green eyes glittering. "But thank you."

Before the awkward small talk could continue, Lucas took Michelle by the hand and took her further into the building. "C'mon! The pokemon are waiting!"

We followed behind them. There were three pokeballs on a long, white rectangle table, along with a pale pink pokedex. Lucas picked it up.

"I set them up myself, Mitchie!" He told her excitedly.

"Lucas!" Professor Rowan scolded him.

Lucas sort of jumped, and set the pokedex back down. "S-sorry, professor. Got a little excited."

Prof. Rowan went to the other side of the table and Lucas moved closer to us. Aaron went behind the table, cracking his knuckles enthusiastically. Michelle watched with eyes the size of pokeballs, fascinated.

Clearing his throat, Aaron glanced at the pokeballs. "Can I, professor?"

"In a moment." Prof. Rowan picked up the pokedex, presenting it to Michelle. "Michelle Daniels, this pokedex is a device that scans and stores prerecorded data on the pokemon of this earth, to help pokemon trainers educate themselves and help them on their journies. Will you accept it?"

Michelle nodded eagerly, her blue ponytails bobbing behind her shoulders. "Yes, sir!" She answered. He handed it to her, and she added, "Thank you so much!"

"Thank Amber, for ordering and buying it." I heard Aaron's foot tap impatiently. "Professor, now can I-?"

"Yes, Aaron," The older man answered.

Aaron grinned. "Yesss." He grabbed a pokeball, the one on the far left, and opened it. A green turtle-like pokemon came out, with a green sprout on its head and a beak-like mouth.

"This is Turtwig, the grass-type!" He gushed at Michelle. "He's a little shy, but very reliable. Like most grass types."

"Tur-twiiig!" Turtwig cooed.

Aaron moved to the next pokemon. A blue penguin-like pokemon came out, with a yellow beak. It flexed its wings as Aaron spoke.

"This is Piplup, the water-type." He wasn't as enthusiastic about Piplup. "Very prideful little bugger, but loyal as heck. Popular choice for girls, for whatever reason."

Finally, Aaron let out the last pokemon. It was an orange-furred monkey-like pokemon, with a swirl of fur on the top of its head and a little flame burning on its butt.

"This is, um...Chimchar. The fire-type starter." He shuddered a little before continuing. "Also popular with girls...but also a little volatile. Handle with care."

Chimchar crossed its arms and sat down, pouting. I laughed; it was a little cute.

Aaron spread his arms over the pokemon's heads. "So, Mitchie? What pokemon would you like?"

Michelle looked back over the three of them. Turtwig stared at her with a dopey, but happy look on his face; Piplup squeaked and held his wings out, asking to be picked up; and Chimchar refused to even look at Michelle.

"I don't know..." She answered, conflicted. "They're all so cute..."

Piplup squeaked even louder in frustration. Turtwig kept staring dumbly at her. Chimchar still pouted.

Finally, Michelle made a move. She picked up the Piplup from under his wings, and brought to her chest.

"I want Piplup," She announced. "Oh my gosh, he's so soft and cuddly!" Piplup nuzzled her neck. "Like, wow!"

Aaron laughed. "Are you sure?" He asked.

"Absolutely!" Michelle was postively delighted by Piplup. Aaron happily handed her Piplup's pokeball, and she clipped it to a belt loop on her jeans.

Under all that beard, I saw Professor Rowan smile. "Well then. Good choice, Michelle."

Aaron returned the other two starters to their pokeballs. Michelle returned Piplup to its pokeball, and then hugged Professor Rowan.

"Thank you so much for giving me my starter and my pokedex, Professor!" She thanked him. "I'm going to take the best care of Piplup, and every pokemon I catch, too!"

_Outside._

After all that, Lucas saw us outside, to say his goodbyes to Michelle.

When he dashed back inside the lab, Dee hugged Michelle goodbye. She had to lean down low, and she hugged the girl tightly like it was her own sister.

"Oof. I'm gonna miss seeing you around, Mitchie."

Michelle laughed, a little sad. "I'm still gonna visit home, like Max and Barry," She promised.

Dee pulled away from the hug, and kissed Michelle on the forehead. "I'm sorry Amb couldn't see you off. And your bastard brother..." She glared at Aaron. "You better take care of her, Aaron!"

Seeing Dee tell Michelle goodbye made me so sad. Mine and Drew's mom never saw us off. Nattie's grandpa was still steaming mad at her, and she never got to tell Daisy or Tracey goodbye...

_That girl needs something to love. _The thought, directed at Dee hit me like a bolt of lightning. The way she told Michelle goodbye, it was nothing like she was just her sister's friend. Dee had an empty space in her life that Michelle wouldn't be there to fill. That made me even sadder.

As Dee turned around to walk back to Twinleaf Town, I opened my mouth.

"Wait! Dee! Come with us!"


	9. VS Ducky

_Dee._

I was so shocked to hear that kid's voice. Even more so for what he said.

When Dan called out to me, his voice sounded like a rusty squeak. Instantly, it caught my attention, and I turned around. He'd taken a step closer, while his friends look stunned.

Natalie whispered, "Dan..." while Drew stared at his brother in absolute amazement.

I could see the hesitant fear in his eyes. I raised my eyebrows. "What did you say?"

His tiny little Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Yo-you don't have to..." He gulped. "You sh-should..."

Drew put a hand on Dan's shoulder. "Dan, you don't have to-"

"Shut up!" His voice cracked and raised an octave. His response visibly terrfied his brother, and Drew immediately jumped back. "D-Dee, please...you could t-teach us all k-kinds of th-things about b-being trainers!"

I didn't know how to respond. I didn't even know this kid. "I don't think so. What about Aar-?"

"I-I-I'll battle you! Let me battle you, right here!" His voice and his skinny little arms shook.

What the hell do you say when a shaking, stuttering fourteen year old boy you don't know demands you travel with him? Like, seriously?

"Dan! You can't beat Dee!" Michelle squeaked out a warning. "She used to be one of the best coordinators around!"

"Seriously, dude," Drew agreed. "Let's just go..."

Dan paid no attention to them. His warm, chocolate-colored eyes stayed on me, his mouth a set line against his tanned face.

That kind of determination, it brought back memories of Riley, that crazy, dark-haired boy who hated taking no for an answer...

I clipped a pokeball off of my belt. "Aaron, do you think the professor would mind much?"

_A Few Minutes Later._

"Okay...battle!"

Professor Rowan had no qualms against us battling on front of the lab.

I took the pokeball I'd chosen earlier, probably the best choice for a beginner like him.

"Snover, I choose you!" Snover, a pokemon I'd caught shortly after our group split up seven years earlier, came out of her pokeball.

Dan frowned, seeing my choice. He chose his own pokemon, and sent it out.

"Ducky! Let's go!" He sent out a feather, brown, duck-like pokemon with a green stick. It must've been a Kanto thing.

From the sidelines, I heard Michelle power on her new pokedex. "Farfetch'd, the Wild Duck pokemon," It chirped out in a female voice. "Farfetch'd can't live without the stalk it constantly holds, which is why it will defend it to the death."

_Gonna be a hell of a fight... _The Farfetch'd, Ducky, waved its stalk threateningly at Snover.

Drew, refereeing the battle, glanced at his brother. "Begin!"

"Ducky, use Hidden Power!" Dan ordered right off the bat. His voice still had that rusty, raspy quality, like he had a very dry throat. "Blow Snover away!"

Ducky swirled his stalk in the air, and I saw it gather a gust of wind as it swirled. I had seen many Hidden Powers, and I assumed this one was flying-type.

"Snover, use Powder Snow!" Our pokemon had type advantages over each other, and I don't think that was an accident...maybe Dan wasn't such a greenhorn after all.

"Farfetch'd far!" Ducky used his stalk and swung it at Snover, slashing a huge gust of wind at her. Snover took a deep breath, and blew a frosty, snowy gust of wind at Ducky.

The two attacks hit each other, and the pokemon braced themselves. Ducky's Hidden Power blew a little bit of Snover's Powder Snow my way, whipping my ponytail around my back. I shivered violently at the sudden burst of cold.

"Sh-sh-shit!" I cried out. "Snover, use Ice Beam!"

"T-t-to the air, Ducky!" Dan had either gotten chill blasted as well, or was just still stuttering.

As Snover launched an ice-blue beam at Ducky, the Farfetch'd spread his wings and launched himself into the air. Snover's attack hit the ground, forming a chunk of ice in the dirt.

"A-Aerial Ace!" Dan was getting so excited. He really thought he had me on the ropes.

I grit my teeth in frustration. How could he think he had me beat?!

"Snover, use Ice Shard!"

Snover held her arms out, and a glowing chunk of ice appeared between them. She hurled the ice chunk at Ducky, striking a wing and knocking him out of the sky. He almost dropped his stalk.

Dan gasped. "No!"

"Now use Wood Hammer!" I was really getting into the heat of it. I'd basically stopped traveling after I turned sixteen, after the search for Tess was called off, so it had been about four years since I had had a good battle.

Snover raised her arms and began glowing green, humming. Then, she charged full-speed at Ducky just as he was stumbling back to his feet. He skidded back in the dirt as Snover charged at him, but he did his best to stand standing. I could see the strain it took him to fight back.

"Ducky! Use...use..." Dan wasn't sure what to do. He faltered, trying to think.

"Snover! Finish it off with Ice Punch!" Better to put poor Ducky out of his misery than keep the battle going.

Snover, still in close range, charged up the icy attack. Her fist glowed bright, pale blue as she pulled her arm back, then punched Ducky with the power of a raging blizzard. Ducky slid back in the dirt from the attack, and collapsed with a groan. His stalk was still tightly held in his feathers.

Dan's brother stared at the Farfetch'd in disappointment. "...Ducky is unable to battle," He announced in a monotone. "The winner is Snover, and the victory goes to Dee."

All the excitement Dan had shown me in battle fell from his face. He looked devastated to see his pokemon beaten. He looked down as he silently returned his Farfetch'd to his pokeball.

You could absolutely tell he wasn't experienced with battles. I felt almost bad for being so rough.

_Drew._

For Dan to so much as speak to Dee like he did, let alone yell at _me,_ was completely disorienting. To see him battle was terrifying.

Back in Pallet Town, the three of us all had our own pokemon(Nat had Lenny, I had a Vulpix, and Dan had Ducky), but Dan never really battled much. Lenny and my Vulpix, Pixel, were always competitive and urged me and Nat to battle, but Dan was far too laid back. I had never seen him challenge anyone in his life.

To see Dee and her Snover handle Ducky and Dan so roughly...it actually hurt _me._ Because he's my brother, you know? And he looked so disappointed to have lost.

"You really dove in there too fast, huh, kid?" Dee returned Snover to the pokeball. "Too focused on winning than on actually battling. You can't just power through like that."

Dan already looked so down. She had no need to critisize him like that. I wanted to march over to her and _hit _her; she was taller than me, but I had no qualms about hitting people who mess with Dan.

Then, she continued.

"Shit, and Aaron's the exact same way...he'd be such a crap teacher for you kids."

"Hey!" Aaron blushed, glaring at her. "Don't say that, you _punk!_"

Dee threw her hands up in a defeated gesture. "I guess I'm going to have to go with you, huh?" She admitted. "All Aaron could teach you is how to grow the most beautiful marijuana plants!"

"Piss off, you friggin' dyke!" Dee's eyebrows twitched at the slur thrown her way, but she didn't lash out further.

I heard Michelle gasp. "Really, Dee?" She asked excitedly. "You'll come traveling with us?"

Dee laughed. "I just said so, didn't I, Mitchie?" She grinned ear to ear. She must've really loved that kid.

For a moment, Aaron still looked angry. Then he cocked an eyebrow, a sly grin crossing his features. "You'll just up and leave, with nothing but the clothes on your back?"

Dee swaggered up to him. "I'll call my mom, have her pack a bag with clothes and supplies," She explained, an edge to her voice, "then have Barry deliver it to Jubilife." Aaron leaned away from her, very obviously intimidated by her.

Meanwhile, like some sick kind of fangirl, Dan was very quietly watching every move Dee made. His eyes followed every step, every slight hand gesture as she intimidated Aaron Wilkerson.

All I could think was, _I want this girl to stay as far away from Dan as I can possibly push her._


	10. The Rise of Pluto

_Lee._

After I regained consciousness, I was forced to stay in bed for over a week to regain my strength. Being in a coma for years at a time can do that to you.

By then, I had been transported to a different building in a different location. Given a room and an actual bed. Still hooked up to machines, but not under constant surviellence. At least twice a day, identical-looking young men and women came in to bring me my meals(which were rather tasteless and bland, but I never complained). It was comfortable enough for me; something in me told me that I had been in much worse situations before.

Some of them, known as grunts, were chatty. Told me that I still looked a lot like death warmed over, or that they were surprised the higher-ups had made such a big fuss over a "scrawny goth kid". They weren't exactly the most flattering remarks, but I didn't care.

Since the admins, they told me, were known by pseudonyms named after Roman gods, the grunts nicknamed me Pluto. I wasn't told or given a name otherwise, so I was stuck being called Pluto.

One of the nicer grunts eventually told me who Pluto was. The Roman god of the underworld, known in other mythology as Hades. I didn't even have the energy to feel offended.

What I _did_ have energy for was thinking. I wanted to know who I was, or at least my own name. How I had been in that condition for so long, and what had done it. Why was everything kept such a secret from me, the person it mattered to the _most?_

Finally, after God knows how long, someone besides the same grunts as always entered my room. A hunched-over veteran scientist, with the lab coat and a clipboard with what I assumed was information on me.

"Good, you're awake," He announced. "I haven't seen you in quite a while. I hear the lower grunts took to calling you Pluto."

I recognized the voice as Charon, the scientist I had heard when I had first woken up. I nodded.

"Uhh...y-yes, sir," I answered. "I don't really have a choice, I guess, because I don't have anything else to ask them to call me." I wanted to ask about the clipboard, but didn't dare.

Charon chuckled softly, checking his papers. "Well...Pluto..." He began. "Based on some tests we've been running on you to determine your physical condition, it seems you're a rather healthy young man, despite your little catnap."

I raised my eyebrows. "S-seriously?" I had been in bed for days, it was a miracle I could even remember how to walk.

Charon nodded. "Except for your bad lungs, but it's assumed you were a heavy smoker." I did have a rather nasty cough sometimes, but I just decided not to pick up smoking again. "After a few more days to have you settle in, you'll be beginning Team Galactic's grunt training program."

This was unbelievable. How could I be ready for anything like that so quickly?

"Is...is that what you guys are called?" My voice trembled. "Team Galactic? Why do I have to join?"

"It's been decided by the admins that you would be a very beneficial member of our organization because of your...unique talents."

_Unique...talents?_ I wondered. _What could I possibly be good at? Heavy sleeping? Being a paperweight?_

"You're going to be trained to be a proper member of Team Galactic, Pluto, and after a period of training, will be allowed graduate to participating in field missions with a pokemon assigned to you. You'll be transported to a training facility in just a few days, based on your rapid recovery, so be expecting that."

Without so much as a second breath or a goodbye, Charon left my room and shut the door behind him.

All of that had come so fast. I was going to be trained to be one of the nameless, faceless men wearing what looked like a space jumpsuit. I would go out in the world on "field missions", whatever that meant. I would be allowed back out into the world. Back after being out for so long. It was terrifying, but at the same time, maybe...

_Maybe...maybe I'll meet Mark again... _I drifted into a light sleep, wondering what kind of person could stay in my memories through severe enough head trauma to cause total amnesia.

_Amber._

"Flint, you...you really think that he'd do that for me?"

Flint grinned his favorite dorky grin as he answered, "Yeah, I do! You know Buck! He's so much nicer than your dick of a brother!"

"Hey!" Max sauntered back from the kitchen, a soda in hand. Barry was on the phone with Dee in the kitchen, and I could hear him getting frustrated.

Volkner offered a courtesy glare. "What? You are. You're the biggest dick on the block, Maxie." He didn't even sound sarcastic.

Max glared back at him. I shook my head, laughing; seeing the two of them glare each other down was just too funny.

What I'd talked to Flint and Volkner about was Flint's little brother, Buck; Buck was Max's age, and good friends with him and Barry. Max hated having to look after Michelle, and I wouldn't trust Aaron to bake a cake, let alone make sure my baby sister is taking care of herself. I had to grasp at any straws I could. Call me overprotective, or even crazy, but I still saw her as that innocent little baby girl Momma had raised.

Max slunk back into the kitchen, pouting. Barry was still talking to his sister, and I could hear them arguing pretty heatedly. She was asking him to do her a favor, or something.

"Damn, you'd really think they're blood," Flint commented absently, sipping the soda in his hand.

"Huh? Who?"

"Who do you think? Barry and Dee. You'd think they crawled out of the same wo-"

He was cut off by a sharp knock to the door. Flint sighed, annoyed, at the interruption. I jumped up to get the door.

There were two boys, a bit older than Max, on the other side. One had short dirty blonde hair, warm gray eyes, and a notepad to write on; the other had dark hair and eyes, a smiling Pikachu on his shoulder, and looked a little disheveled.

"Excuse us, ma'am," The dark-haired boy sort of half-grumbled.

"My name is Kenta Landry, and this is Col Leech," The blonde introduced them both with a polite smile. "Is Aaron Wilkerson here? I'd like to speak with him.

Really? The second group in the past few hours asking for Aaron? How many people did he give our address away to?!

"I'm so sorry, you just missed him," I apologized. "I could call him if you really need it, he can't have gotten too far-"

"There's no need for any of that. I think my partner and I are more than capable of tracking him down." Kenta glanced at Col. "Isn't that right?"

"I'm not your partner." Compared to grinning Kenta, Col looked terrifying. I couldn't comprehend how they ended up working together.

I cleared my throat. "Um, track him down...?" I was definitely going to call Aaron after I closed the door. "Exactly who are yo-?"

"I'm a reporter for several reputable newspapers and magazines. Don't give me that look, I swear I am. My par-er, my companion, he's a trainer from another region who I thought would be more cooperative. So, Mr. Wilkerson's not here?"

Kenta got straight to the point. I shook my head. "Um, no. He left. He doesn't even live here."

Kenta nodded. "M'hm. Well, thank you anyway!" He closed the door himself, and I heard the two of them shuffle off the stoop.

My head was still reeling. Not only did Aaron invite _more_ kids to my house, but it seemed like those two were on more of an important mission than Natalie and her friends.

A reporter and a scary-looking guy, neither of whom I'd ever met, were looking to speak with Aaron...who was likely looking after Michelle...

"_Maaaaax!_ _Barry!_" I called for the boys without another moment's hesitation. "Get in here!"

* * *

><p><strong>AOF: Col Leech is one of my friends' characters, Lazy Quark, and 100% not mine.<strong>

**AOF: Also, Lazy Quark is a hella cool dude.**


	11. Adult Responsibilities

_Michelle._

_Several Days Later._

When we got to Jubilife City, it looked amazing, with so many tall buildings and street shops. I had been there before, shopping with Amber, but now I was a pokemon trainer! I didn't have to be babied around anymore!

"Mitchie, stay near us, okay? Amber'd go batshit crazy if I lost you." Dee destroyed my assumption almost immediately.

Her and Aaron had been coddling me the whole way from Sandgem, whenever they weren't screaming at each other. I hadn't even been able to catch any pokemon with my Piplup because of them arguing!

But that older boy out of the two, Drew, he took charge better than the adults. I told him I wanted to enter the pokemon contest that week, so he rented two rooms in the pokemon center for us; one for the three boys, and one for the three girls. Nurse Joy happily handed him the two keys, and he nodded at her, a polite smile on his face.

"Thank you very much, ma'am," He thanked her sincerely. You could really tell he was raised in the south; not only did he have the accent, but he could be very polite to adults. Kids, not so much.

After he left the counter and Nurse Joy continued with what she was doing, we all went upstairs to the second floor to drop our things off. When we were done, we went downstairs, and Drew handed the girls' key to his friend Natalie.

"Hold onto that, it's the only one," He instructed her. "Got it, Nat?"

"Uh-huh. Really, I'm not a child, Drew."

I could see Dee getting offended. "Excuse me, shouldn't the oldest one have the key?"

Most people who don't know her would flinch away, but Drew made direct, defiant eye contact. "What, you mean you?" He was definitely not afraid of her.

"Yes, me! Who else would be the oldest, you idiot, Michelle?" Dee crossed her arms. "I'm twenty years old, I can keep track of a stupid key."

"You act like my eight year old sister," Drew scoffed. "Just so damn _childish. _I wouldn't trust you to tie my shoe, let alone keep something like a room key! You'd probably pout and bicker at it." He shot the stink eye at Aaron. "_Both_ of you."

Surprised, Aaron pointed at his chest. "Me?" He asked. "What'd I do?"

There never really was an answer. Drew groaned, shaking his head. "I think...we should probably split up to explore the city. It'd do me some good, at least, to get away from Rocky and Bullwinkle."

"Hey!" Aaron and Dee both protested. "That was a shitty analogy!"

Drew shot daggers at them with his eyes. Dee actually bared her teeth at him, like she would do when Flint was being a butthole to her. Drew's brother, Dan, looked pale and scared stiff from the tension between them.

"Ye-yeah, I think Drew's right!" Natalie grabbed Drew by the arm and pulled him away from Dee, keeping a hand on his shoulder. "We've all been together for days, it's getting a little...tense. How about we just meet back up here at the pokemon center?"

Her approval of the idea made the tension disappear in his eyes. He grunted, readjusting his glasses before they slipped down his nose.

"If it ever so pleases our exalted elders," He drawled out in a dark tone, "may we discuss when we should meet back up?"

Either Aaron brushed off Drew's sarcasm, or he was just ignorant of it. "It's almost eleven, so I guess four or five o' clock should be plenty of time to get lunch and mess around the city," He answered, jumping in before Dee did. "Does that sound alright with you guys?"

Natalie and Dan nodded. "Yeah," Natalie chirped.

Aaron glanced curiously at me. "Mitchie?"

"Huh?"

"What do you think, four or five a good time to come back?"

It finally hit me; he was giving me my first decision as a grown-up pokemon trainer. I wasn't prepared to have a say in it.

"Y-yeah, that sounds fair." I glanced down and felt my face flush pink. Aaron laughed, and teasingly batted one of my pigtails away. Everyone liked playing with my hair.

Drew and his friends split as soon as possible. I wasn't so anxious.

I grabbed her sleeve as soon as she started to leave with Aaron. "Deedee..."

Her hard expression softened. "Something wrong?"

"I don't, um...have any money." Amber hadn't given me any. I was broke.

Dee grinned, and laughed. "Don't worry, Mitchie. Momma got you." She pulled her wallet from her back pocket. "Amb gave me some cash before we left, to give to you..." She counted it out silently, then handed it to me. "Here."

It was... "A hundred dollars?! Are you serious?" Dee handed me ten ten dollar bills!

"Don't spend it all today, or in once place." Dee spoke sternly to me, like Amber would. "And also..." She reached in her back pocket again, and pulled out her icy-blue pokegear. "I'll be going around with Aaron today. If anything happens to you or you get lost, call his number. It's saved in there."

I nodded eagerly, happy to have to have some responsibility for myself. "Okay. Thanks, Dee!"

Breaking apart from the seriousness, Dee laughed and hugged me. She kissed my forehead.

"Love you, brat," She teased. "Don't get lost!"

"Okay, I promise! Love you too, Dee!"

She hurried out of the pokemon center with Aaron, and left me inside. I left just a minute later, to go explore the city.

_Third-Person View._

_In Canalave City, Earlier That Morning._

"Ugh...man, that was a long trip, Treek."

A girl with strawberry-blonde hair stepped off of her ship at Canalave Harbor, stretching her aching muscles. It had been a long boat ride from Hoenn.

"What d'ya think, Treecko?" She turned her head to her companion on her shoulder, a small, gecko-like grass-type named Treecko. "Mark sent us to a dump, huh?"

He nodded. "Treeecko," He cooed. "Tree tree."

The girl laughed, and hurried on her way through the port town. She had heard on the boat that there would be a pokemon contest tomorrow night in the next town over, Jubilife, and couldn't wait to get in on the action.

She looked much like her older brother; she had reddish-blonde hair and sharp green eyes, with darkly tanned skin and a thick dusting of freckles. Her short ponytail bobbed at her neck and and her flipflops slapped the soles of her feet as she speedwalked through the town, not bothering to spend the night at the pokemon center or see the sights.

Maggie was in Sinnoh strictly on business, but she was a coordinator by heart; she could never resist the call of a challenge.

* * *

><p><strong>AOF: Maggie's been mentioned several times by Mark, but never actually introduced in the story.<strong>


	12. On the Town

_Natalie._

"Really? I don't think that's right..."

"Trust me, Nat. I heard someone at the pokemon center talking about it."

"But...would they even have green?"

"Shut up about it, let's just look already! Hurry up, Nat! And Dan!"

Drew had heard something about a promotion in the city, for something called a Poketch; we had to find three clowns and answer questions about pokemon. If we could collect three vouchers and bring them to the Poketch company building, we would win free ones.

Jubilife wasn't the biggest city we'd ever been to; I had visited Celadon City one time, with Tracey and the twins, and it was bigger. With a shopping center.

Drew grabbed my hand and Dan's, and hauled us around the streets. I drug my heels in the sidewalk, trying to slow him down.

"Dr-Dr-_stop!_" I huffed. "You're going too fast!"

Drew glanced at me, with big, oblivious eyes behind his glasses. "What? Too much?"

Dan nodded his head vigorously, shaggy bangs flopping in his face. He rubbed his wrist, wincing. Drew had a strong grip.

I rolled my eyes. "Really, is a stupid watch so much of a big deal?" I demanded. "My Pokegear can tell me the time. Not to mention call, text, musi-"

"But...but listen,this is supposed to be _cutting-edge technology_, Nat," Drew explained, half breathless. "Can make our Pokegears look like shit in comparison. Besides, Silph Co. is getting old, and where else could we get a watch that has a built in-"

"Alright, alright," I agreed grumpily. "You're getting nerd all over the sidewalk."

"Hell yeah I am!"

Dan snickered at his brother's excitement. He hid his mouth behind his hand, softly laughing.

I crossed my arms, rolling my eyes teasingly. "So, if we're gonna find these 'vouchers', where do you suppose we look?" I demanded of Drew. "If you're gonna be so stubborn."

Before I even finished, Drew was getting out a notebook from his pocket. "I made a list of possible places the clowns would be, based on last year's contest for free Poketches of last year's model," He answered. "Jubilife is a bit of a compact city, not as big as Celadon or Saffron, so it can't really be too hard for us to find the clowns."

Drew turned pages in the notebook, until he reached what he searched for. He handed it to me. "Here it is." It was in atrocious-looking cursive, but I could mostly read it.

**_JUBILIFE CLOWNS:_**

_-Global Trade Station_

_-Jubilife TV Station_

_-Outside Poketch Corp building_

_-Maybe outside p center?_

_-_[couldn't read this part]

"Wow," I laughed. "When did you even-?"

"When we were storing our stuff in the rooms," Drew interrupted. "Aaron gave me some ideas, I jotted them down. He did it last year, to get the Poketch."

Quickly, I closed the notebook and handed it back to him. "Well. I guess we oughta get started, huh?"

We started down the street again, but Dan was a little slow to start. I grabbed him by the hand and tugged him along.

"C'mon, Danny! You gotta help us find the clowns!"

_Around 4:30 that Afternoon._

"Is that...is that the last voucher?"

"Well, count them, stupid. Did we get any of them twice?"

We stood on the street outside the Poketch Company building, Dan and I nevously watching Drew count the vouchers we had collected. We had spent all day combing the streets for clowns; we only stopped for twenty minutes at noon for lunch.

Drew fanned them out. "Voucher one..." He pulled it out into his left hand. "Voucher two..." He pulled that one out, too. "Vouc-"

"**_NOOO!_**"

There was a commotion at the doors of the building. I snapped my head in the direction of it, thinking the voice was familiar.

A boy was kicked out onto the pavement, and he was obviously the one who'd shouted. From behind, I could see he had shaggy black hair, wore a black t-shirt, and baggy jeans with nice white tennis shoes. A purple pokemon with gems for eyes scurried out the door after him.

"Get lost!" A harsh adult voice shouted out at him. "We don't need ya no more, kid!" The door was slammed in his face before he could react.

The boy scrambled to his feet, babbling hysterically. He pounded on the door, hair swishing around his face.

"_No!_" He screamed. "I have to see my sister! _Let me back in! **LET ME BACK IN!**_" He was half crying.

When he had gotten up, a smashed pair of lenses had flung themselves off of his face and to the ground. They glinted golden in the sunlight as he lost his mind trying to get back inside...

"Carlisle!" It finally clicked who it was; my cousin, Carlisle! I ran to him, wondering what had happened with his sister. The twins followed.

Immediately, Drew tried to stop him. He grabbed Carlisle from behind, pulling him away. Carlisle fought back, but Dan worked with his brother and held Carlisle by the arms. For a skinny kid, Dan was surprisingly strong.

"Let me go! Let me...let me go..." Carlisle lost his burst of energy, and half-collapsed in Drew's arms. Drew let him fall to the ground, earning a sour look from Dan.

The purple pokemon dashed to his trainer, trying to console him. "Saay...sable..." He rubbed Carlisle's back. I recognized it as his Sableye.

Carlisle sat on his knees on the pavement, hands over his mouth to muffle the sound as he tried to stop crying. He was so upset, it was unbelievable; but, he was always the sensitive one in the family.

After a moment of hesitation, I kneeled next to him. "...Car? Carlisle?"

He hiccupped, disturbing his hanging bangs, and I saw a black eye that I hadn't seen before. It must have been how his glasses got smashed. "N...Nattie...my sister..."

"Is Katie okay?" I asked softly. "She's not, is she?"

"That was some pretty rough customer service..." Drew pointed out. I could hear the frown in his voice.

Carlisle shook his head, closing his eyes tight. "No..." He sighed out, voice quiet and muffled by his hand. "They...they took her. Told me all they needed was her...I couldn't even save Jay."

"Who the hell is 'they', kid?" Drew demanded. "Must be some dicks."

It looked like Carlisle was starting to calm himself. He took his hand from his mouth, taking deep, shaky breaths.

"Th-they called themselves...Team Galactic," He murmured. "They wanted Dad's money...so they k-k-"

"Kidnapped Katie," Drew muttered to himself. His brown eyes were the size of golf balls behind his glasses. "Oh, my God. Nat. We have to get Aaron and Dee."

We pulled Carlisle back up to his feet. His pale face was red and splotchy from crying and his own anger. "Who?"

"Trust me, they know about Team Galactic. C'mon." I took Carlisle by the hand, and we lead him back to the pokemon center, to talk with the older ones.

_Dee._

_At the Pokemon Center._

"What the [expletive deleted], what the [expletive deleted]! Where the hell are they, why are they not here?!"

Aaron was a little jittery about the teenagers not returning on time. Michelle watched him curiously, watching him pace around and swear like a sailor.

"*slurp* I don't see the big deal." Barry and Max had dropped off my bag while we were out, and dropped something else off, too; Astro. Max claimed he'd snuck out when him and Barry left the house. Astro had even convinced me to buy him a triple-caffiene shot white chocolate mocha. By which I mean he stole three caffiene shots and dumped them in there himself, the little shit.

I whapped Aaron on the back of the head, breaking off his train of thought. Aaron glared at me, and I pointed at Michelle.

"Do you see that?!" I hissed at the 23 year old. "Do you know what that is?! That is a _ten year old **GIRL**._ If you shout one more word they would bleep out on TV, I am going to shove that stick so much farther up your a-!"

Aaron waved me off, and marched to the entrance of the Pokemon Center. I whirled around on my heel, and saw what was the matter.

Natalie, Drew, and Dan were finally gracing us with their appearance, with another boy with them who looked like death's timid bastard son. He was shaking like a leaf.

"Aaron!" Natalie cried out. "Aaron, you've gotta-!"

"Where the hell were you kids?!"

"Aaron, we know we promised 4 o' clock," Drew asserted. "But, something happened. You, Dee, you've gotta...is that that talking Lucario?"

"Please, sir, you've gotta listen!" The black-haired boy pleaded.

"Team Galatic, they kidnapped my cousin!" Natalie chimed in desperately.

Behind me, Astro stopped his incessant slurping of that damn coffee. I could actually feel the powerful chill go through his spine, and I'm sure I saw goosebumps raise on Aaron's arms as he fell silent.

* * *

><p><strong>AOF: Katie and Carlisle were most definitely not introduced in the beginning of the story for nothing.<strong>


	13. After You

_Astro._

In all honestly, I almost choked at the words "Team Galactic". My heart probably stopped for a few seconds.

"...What was that?" My voice was quiet and calm. My paws were balled into tight, but painful, fists. "Nattie. What did you just say?"

Aaron and Dee were staring at me, probably having forgotten I was there. Aaron's arms and shoulders were rigid with surprise; Dee looked like she was watching a rabid animal.

After the moment passed, Aaron shook his head and glanced at Natalie's other cousin, Carlisle. "Um, kid...who are you? Can you explain anything?"

The kid gulped, glancing down. I could see he had a frightening shiner on his left eye; someone must have had a nasty right hook. "I-I'm Carlisle," He answered. He spoke slowly, like he was carefully choosing his words. "Carlisle Urmine. I'm Nattie's cousin, and, um...my sister, she...Team Galactic took her hostage. And all of the Poketch Company. They-"

"But what _happened?_" Dee asked. "Why, specifically, your sister?"

Carlisle found the courage to meet her gaze. "My sister, she...our dad, he's a real big businessman. And he's been helping the Poketch Company try to make business partnerships between bigger electronics companies, like Silph Co. and Devon Corp. Dad brought us while he's on a business trip, because he thought we'd enjoy the city, and Team Gala-"

"They want your dad's money," Dee summarized. "They're holding her for ransom. And I'll bet they want to squeeze the Poketch Company for as much as it's worth, too."

"Is that what's going on?" Aaron asked.

Carlisle nodded. "I tried to fight them when they kicked me out of the building," He added regretfully. "I lost a pokemon battle, then when I tried to get physical...they beat me up and broke my glasses. I can't even see..."

"Those bitches," Drew muttered. I'm sure he understood the glasses struggle perfectly well, with his absolutely charming personality.

After hearing what was going on, I stood up. As I tried to march off, Dee grabbed my arm.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing, Astro Daniels?" She hissed in my ear, quiet enough so they might not have heard.

I unballed my cramping fists. "We have to go save that girl."

"Are you insane?! You can't just go marching in there yourself, you frigging idiot."

"Well, it worked pretty damn well with Riley!"

"Riley also probably suffered enough brain damage to make him a drooling idiot by now! What kind of super intelligent being are you supposed to be?!"

"Deadra, _what_ are you arguing about?" Aaron asked accusingly.

That managed to make her shut up, but she kept a painfully tight grip on my upper arm. I winced in pain.

Aaron glanced away from the two of us. "Well, what do you kids want us to do?"

Drew looked like he had been slapped in the face. "What the hell do you mean, what do we want you to do?" He demanded. His pale skin flushed in indignation. "Who was talking just a few days ago about wanting to make sure they don't rise again, or whatever?! Are you such a _moron _that you already forgot?"

"Aaron, Dee, please, you've gotta help us save Katie," Natalie begged. "I don't know how much Team Galactic wants out of my uncle, but I know it'll probably be a lot. And Carlisle said he's not even sure they'll give her back 'undamaged'. Please, please, haven't you fought them before?!"

She was really, truly worried for her cousin's safety. The boy, Carlisle, was positively shaking in his boots, so to speak. I knew how it felt; if anything happened to Max's Riolu, Daisy, or to Amber or Michelle...

"Astro, are you in?" Excitement flashed in Aaron's emerald eyes, and something sparked in him that I hadn't seen since that Oak boy had died.

As if he actually needed to ask. It was practically a rhetorical question.

_Katelynn Urmine._

_Inside the Poketch Company._

_(Eww...Kent, do you really have to use my whole name? I really do prefer Katie.)_

_[Sorry, Katie, but I prefer to use whole names the first time you begin narration. I promise, I'll use Katie after this.]_

"Keep quiet, you damn kid! You're lucky you're allowed to keep that stupid fairy. Don't push it."

My Togetic, Jay, shivered in my lap at that poisonous remark. I glared at the woman holding me captive.

_Cut me down, but it's you_

_Who'll have further to fall._

I was tied up in a chair, with my wrists tied together behind me and my ankles tied to each leg of the chair. Jay was tightly tied to my stomach, his wings pinned between us. Neither of us could wriggle free at all; whoever it was, they sure knew their knots.

My captor was a young Team Galactic admin, using the alias Mars. I had no intention of waiting for my father to pay any sort of ransom; the only bills I wanted him to pay for me were for my Pokegear.

_Ghost towns, and_

_Haunted love..._

There were many Galactic grunts scattered around the building, along with Mars herself on the top floor office, with me. They had taken opportunity of Daddy taking the company president out to a business lunch, and seized the building with only employees, me, and Carlisle present. They thought Carlisle was my friend, instead of my brother, and so they kicked him out.

I hung my head in shame. "I'm sorry you got in this, Jay," I mouthed. Jay looked up at me, worriedly. I closed my eyes, frowning. "I'm sorry, Car..."

_You'll raise your voice, but sticks_

_And stones may break my bones_

Jay craned his neck up, and nuzzled my chin. I opened my eyes; he chirped aggressively at me. "To-to get tic."

I understood what he meant. _This is no time to give up,_ I reminded myself. _There's no way Carlisle could save me on his own, the big baby. God knows how long before Daddy finds out. I have to do this on my own...I have to save my own damn self!_

_I'm talking loud,_

_Not saying much._

Mars had stopped talking and ranting for the moment. I took the oppourtunity to gather my thoughts.

_I have all four of my pokemon on me...Jay is too scared stiff to use any attacks. I could send out Peanut to distract Mars and have Buddy bite through these ropes, but...Mars has a Purugly, and a slow Quagsire like Peanut would hardly be a distraction. I could use FlareBurst, but Quilavas hardly have the stamina to fight a beast like Purugly...auuuggghh! Damn, damn, double damn it all!_

"Something wrong, brat?" Mars' voice cut at me like knives. "Getting antsy?"

I shook my head stubbornly. "No, ma'am," I replied. "Just...freakin'...peachy." I clasped my hands together behind the chair I was bound to, trying to think of a new plan...

_Natalie._

"The door's locked. Why the [expletive deleted] didn't we expect that? What now, Baby Einstein?"

Drew was still off on the wrong foot with Aaron and Dee. Drew gets off on the wrong foot with everybody.

"Lenny can pick locks," I offered as an idea. "His claws. He keeps them well maintained."

Aaron raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"Your-your _Sandshrew_ can pick locks?" Dee reaffirmed.

I nodded. "Yeah. It was a trick Len-Len picked up." I walked over to the door of the Poketch Company building, holding Lenny level to the door. "Ready, Lenny?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "San sandshrew!" Lenny unsheathed his full claws from his paws, choosing one. He examined it carefully, then he eased it into the lock of the building's door. Lenny had picked a surprisingly large amount of locks before; sometimes, back at home, Dan would get angry at Drew and lock him out of their room.

As Lenny carefully jimmied the lock, it clicked. Lenny retracted his claws, laughing happily. "Saanndshrew!"

I wriggled the doorknob around, testing it. I laughed, rubbing Lenny's rough little head gratefully. "Great job, Lenny!"

Before I could barge into the building, Aaron grabbed my by the wrist. "Wait-Nattie!"

He yanked me back, away from the door. I turned attention to him, almost angrily. What now?!

"You can't just-just barge in there. There's bound to be Team Galactic grunts in there; probably incompetent, but enough to be a problem. Lemme go in first."

"Wait, what?" Astro protested. "I think I should. I'm an actual pokemon, and therefore can afford to be stupid."

"Don't be stupid, Azzy, you're stupid anyway. With a head hard as steel."

Irritating at it was, Aaron had a point; I was enthusiastic about rescuing Katie, but being the first in the building meant that I would be the first one the grunts would target. Not to mention I was the smallest(besides Michelle, but she was practically attached to Dee), and the skinniest. One stiff Gust attack from a Pidgey could knock me over. Aaron was right, and as childish as it sounds, I hated that he was right.

"Fine, Aaron," I conceded. "After you."


End file.
